Articles
The Cultural Obsession with "Hate"
I clearly remember being alarmed back in the ‘90s when I first began to hear the term “hate crime.” I knew then that something nefarious was behind the term, and the last thirty years have confirmed my suspicions. The notion of a hate crime, as well as the broader category of “hate,” have been used as a weapon against those who do not conform to a certain narrative advanced by those in power.
It goes something like this: Some influential, elitist group (Hollywood, academia, politicians, medical community, etc.) decides that certain behaviors, values, religious classes, physical characteristics, etc. are to be affirmed and celebrated. Those who crave acceptance jump onboard and mass advocacy of the preferred “cause celebre” is broadcast via social media, popular culture, schools and talking heads of all sorts (it is amazing how quickly such trendy views spread).
But then things turn sinister: the backlash begins against those who do not sing the same tune, whose own values, common sense, religious convictions or just plain logic prevent them from joining the chorus. And the pejorative of choice is hurled against the dissenters: Haters! Thus, anyone who doesn’t conform to the current faddish standards is labeled a homo/trans/ Islamo/ethno/xeno-phobe; ageist; racist; misogynist; bully; fat shamer; etc. When the rabble decides what is approved, no opinions or rationale to the contrary can be tolerated.
This is simply a coercive, manipulative ploy to advance philosophical, political or economic agendas by controlling or squelching dissent. Thus, in the main “hate” has been weaponized, ironically, by those who themselves hate.
It should go without saying – but in this age of moral confusion and twisted thinking we can’t take anything for granted – Christians are clearly prohibited by the word of God to hate their fellow men. First, it is negated by stating the opposite, declared by Jesus to be “the greatest commandment ” of all: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as your-self.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law …” (Mt 22:37-40).
Second, hatred is precluded by Jesus’ instructions concerning our enemies: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven …” (Mt 5:44-45). And Jesus practiced what He preached, for at the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34). Jesus said in essence that the cycle of violence and abuse must stop with His people (“Blessed are the peacemakers” – Mt 5:9), for the world simply exacerbates ill will by in-kind response. Which leads to our third observation …
Hatred is forbidden through barring its associated actions:
Ø “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:19-21).
Ø “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge … Who are you to judge another?” (Jas 4:11-12).
Ø “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven … So My heavenly Father will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses’” (Mt 18:21-35; see the parable for the explanation of God’s attitude toward those who will not forgive the wrongs they have suffered).
Fourth, there are so many positive commands which likewise preclude hatred:
Ø “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …” (Gal 5:22-23).
Ø “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (Jas 3:17-18).
Ø “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth …” (1 Cor 13:4-6).
But here is where things get a little sticky: Love, forgiveness, mercy, etc. do not rule out taking a stand for what is holy and true according to God’s word. On the contrary, Christians cannot advocate, approve or applaud that which is ungodly, which defies God and His laws for mankind. There are sinful, immoral, degenerate things in this world which Christians must tolerate: “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world …” (1 Cor 5:9-10). But there are barriers in place that do not allow Christians to engage with the world in its sinful practices: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever … Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you’ … Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 6:14-7:1).
It is this moral clarity and strength that often makes Christians the target of the ungodly. Christians refuse to ride on the worldly bandwagon lurching toward the valley of wretchedness. Thus, the true targets of hate in our culture are the people of God, and the hypocrites who advocate for “love” attack, ridicule and censor them. Ah, yes, Satan is alive and well, and his deceptions continue to cast their spells upon the unsuspecting.
